From Finnish to English to Swedish to Arabic, Nationwide Arena is a melting pot of languages on any given Blue Jackets game night. But one common language transcends the others: sports.
As the Jackets battled the Caps Saturday night, a group of Taekwondo experts came together to bond over their love of the Korean martial art on a suite level.
Chris Hershberger, the president and CEO of the Mansfield-headquartered Black Belt Pro Fitness, hosted the Jordanian Taekwondo Federation for their first-ever National Hockey League game. The team consisted of four athletes, a referee, high performance director and the national team coach. Hershberger’s relationship with the Federation began in 2019 thanks to a special initiative set up by the US State Department.
“We were invited by the State Department to go to Jordan for a Sports Diplomacy Exchange program in 2019,” Hershberger said. “We had a strong affiliation with Olympic taekwondo, but in 2019, we got the chance to spend time and establish a relationship with their group. Now, in 2022, we finally got them [to Ohio] and we’re excited to have them here and to have them at a Blue Jackets game, which came about because of a dear friend, [CBJ Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer] Kathryn Dobbs.”
Hershberger’s connections run deep in the world of taekwondo. His daughter, Natalie Hershberger, is an eight-time national champion and has a goal of competing in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Saturday was her first NHL game, too, and there’s no one else she’d rather enjoy it with than the JTF.
“It’s been awesome,” Natalie said. “I love hanging out with them. We went to Jordan two years ago and I’m glad they got the chance to come here. This is also my first Blue Jackets game, so I’m really excited to be here too.”
Nicole Rouhani, a program coordinator for the non-governmental organization World Learning, was the catalyst in establishing the relationship between Black Belt Pro Fitness and the Jordanian Taekwondo Federation in 2019.
“[World Learning] is just one of many partner organizations of the State Department, and we help implement their exchange programs,” Rouhani said. “It’s wonderful to think there is an entire division within the Department working on how to use sports to create youth empowerment, women empowerment and to help community building like you’re seeing here with Chris and the Jordanian Taekwondo Federation. That’s the goal: peace through sports!”
Chris Hershberger agrees.
“Sports is like a universal language for us,” he said. “The exchange really came through our love of taekwondo. It really broadens the experience for us.”
While enjoying the Blue Jackets game, Hershberger delivered Black Belt Pro Fitness t-shirts to his friends who also received a shoutout on the Nationwide Arena video board during the second period. A special visitor also stopped by: CBJ legend Rick Nash. Nash conversed with Hershberger and the Executive Director of the Jordanian Taekwondo Federation, Mr. Wa’el Abu Erhayem who was over the moon about the opportunity to visit Columbus.
“We are here in the second phase of our amazing exchange program, and we are very excited to cheer on the Columbus Blue Jackets,” Abu Erhayem said. “When my brother Chris said, ‘we are trying to organize a pro hockey game to attend,’ we were all interested. There are so many lovely people here and we are so thankful for them receiving us.”
Rouhani put it best.
“For many of them, this is their first time in the United States,” she said. “They’ve never experienced hockey before because it’s just not something you see in Jordan. I think it’s a beautiful experience.”
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